Teen Takes His Grandma To Prom For A Purpose That’s Leaving People In Tears

Even at just 17, Stephen Virgil was no stranger to loss. He lost his father to a stroke as a kid, and though the grief was hard to overcome, Stephen was lucky to have some very special family members by his side throughout the ordeal.

He was especially close to his grandmother, Julia Jarman. Both the grandmother and grandson were fun-loving people, and they bonded over a shared love for Elvis Presley. Even as Stephen got older, he wanted to spend time with his grandma…even during the bad times.

Julia was there for Stephen when his father died, and when Julia turned 91, she was given news that forced Stephen to return the favor: Julia was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and given one year to live.

Stephen, then a junior in high school, was heartbroken. He wanted to spend as much time as he possibly could with Julia before he had to say goodbye, and his sister gave him inspiration for a remarkable plan.

One day, Grandma Julia told her grandchildren that she never went to her high school prom. Stephen’s sister pulled him to the side and suggested, “Why don’t you take her to your prom?” The date of the elegant occasion was the day before her 92nd birthday.

Stafford High School was in the midst of putting together a prom night for the high schoolers and Stephen was planning to go. While his classmates were deciding on who their dates would be, Stephen knew for sure who he was going to ask.

Stephen approached his grandma with a heartwarming invitation. “Will you go to the prom with me?” Grandma Julia happily said yes, but before they could celebrate, they had to get approval from the school, which had a strict rule in place.

With student safety in mind, a policy was held in place prohibiting students from bringing a date who was older than 20 to the prom. However, as soon as the school heard Stephen’s request, they made a special exception.

The school was honored to have Julia as a guest, but before they could welcome her on prom night, she and Stephen had a few items to cross off their To-Do list. The first step of their prom preparation? To get a tan…

Stephen and Grandma Julia started their memorable journey together with a week-long trip to Florida. The trip was fully funded thanks to the Dream Foundation, which grants special requests from terminally-ill adults. Stephen then brought Julia to visit some of her long-lost family.

Julia was no stranger to loss herself. At the age of 91, she had seen many of her loved ones pass. For Mother’s Day, Stephen brought his grandma to Arlington National Cemetery where several family members were at rest.

As their vacation wound down, prom night drew nearer. Grandma Julia was so excited to go to the prom with her grandson, and their first step was to choose their outfits for the special occasion. They were going to the most important party of the year, after all!

Since Stephen was wearing a pale blue vest and tie under his black blazer, Julia bought herself a dark blue dress to match. They even had their hair done to complete the look. At the salon, Julia and Stephen were treated like VIPs.

The day of the long-awaited prom, Stephen and his grandma Julia went to local hair salon Hair Cuttery in Eagle Village. They were pampered and taken great care of, but they never expected how it would end.

The salon learned about Julia’s cancer and how Stephen was making the best of it by bringing her to prom. They decided to treat them to a luxurious salon experience, free of charge! They looked incredible, but there was one thing missing.

To make it an authentic prom night, Julia was given a wrist corsage of red roses. It was almost as beautiful as her! Arm and arm, the two arrived at prom, not quite sure what to expect.

As they entered, everyone stopped and watched them with a mix of happy faces and teary eyes. Principal Joe Lewis welcomed them with a silver crown and sash for Julia. Julia was finally able to do all the classic prom traditions she’d missed as a teen…

The night was not over yet. Looking like royalty, Julia had her picture taken wearing the gifted sash and tiara. She and Stephen made many memories, but the most memorable was out on the dance floor.

The prom had a DJ playing music for the party-goers. Stephen wanted to create a special moment for his grandma, so he requested that a certain Elvis Presley song be played, one that was very close to Grandma Julia’s heart.

Stephen took his grandma out onto the dance floor as her favorite Elvis Presley song, Can’t Help Falling In Love, filled the room. He will never forget the memory of the two slow dancing together as they both sang the song’s lyrics.

When Stephen and Grandma Julia went to a local pub after the prom, their meal was all paid for, thanks to the pub’s manager. Stephen was able to give Julia a memory she’ll never forget, and little did he know, another grandson had a similar idea.